Viewers criticize high merchandise prices at 'Space Rice Cake Shop' pop-up

“I watched it for fun, but when I actually went, the prices were too high.” An unexpected price controversy is spreading around the tvN variety show 'Space Rice Cake Shop' directed by Na Yeong Seok. As the gap widens between the warm rice cake shop shown on screen and the commercialism experienced at the actual Seoul pop-up store, some viewers are even offering bitter criticism, asking, “Hasn't the purpose of the program changed?”

'Space Rice Cake Shop' is a variety show capturing the chaotic adventures of Lee Eun Ji, Mimi, Lee Young Ji, and An Yu Jin as they run a rice cake restaurant. At the first branch in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, the core of the fun was the process itself, as the members developed menus and welcomed customers, learning how to run a business in an unfamiliar space. It was also evaluated that the show created a different sentiment from simple mukbang or business-themed variety shows by naturally blending the relationships between the region, food, and people.

The problem, however, is the criticism that the atmosphere changed when they moved to the second branch in Yeonhui-dong, Seoul. As it began operating in the form of an actual pop-up store, the broadcast content and the real-world commercial space began to overlap, leading to scenes where the members' workload appeared to increase. Some viewers pointed out, “Aren't they overworking them too much?” Kim Ye Seul explained that the members' ability to handle the workload was better than expected and that they were so sincere about the business that they practiced on their own even after the cameras were turned off, but the controversy did not easily subside.

Even the flow of television ratings was not entirely smooth. Starting with 2.9% in the first episode, 'Space Rice Cake Shop' recorded 3.0% in the second episode, but dropped to 2.2% after Karina appeared as a part-time worker. While the success or failure of a program cannot be determined by television ratings alone, the fact that the star appearance, which raised expectations, did not directly translate into an increase in viewership ratings is a point of concern for the production team.

In particular, complaints regarding prices poured in from some visitors to the Seoul pop-up store and online users. Reactions ranged from “The pop-up is too expensive” and “A single key ring was 25,000 won” or “The apron was almost 40,000 won so I couldn't buy it,” to criticisms like “It smells like money” and “The emotion I felt in Goheung has disappeared.” Of course, it is difficult to simply conclude that the goods prices at the pop-up store are high, as they must consider production costs, distribution costs, and brand value. However, the core issue is that a discrepancy occurred between the friendly image formed through the broadcast and the prices faced by actual consumers.

Similar controversies were raised at the 'Summer Memories with Space Rice Cake Shop and Torong' pop-up, which was held in Jongno-gu, Seoul, from last month until September 9. In this space, which featured the 'Earth Arcade' character Torong, goods such as short-sleeved T-shirts for 39,000 won, random dolls for 25,000 won, and random mini key rings for 17,000 won were sold. While the cute characters and the familiarity of the show stimulate the desire to purchase, consumer reactions indicated that they end up closing their wallets when faced with the price tags.

This phenomenon makes one think about recent changes in the variety show industry. Broadcasts are no longer content that ends within the TV. As performers, characters, food, goods, and pop-up stores expand into a single brand ecosystem, a structure is being created where the success of content is directly linked to consumption. The problem arises when the 'emotional value' viewers expect from the content clashes with the 'price tag' attached to the products. It is pointed out that how 'Space Rice Cake Shop' will be remembered by viewers in the future ultimately depends on how persuasively it can balance this boundary.